Spitsbergen Photography: In Search of Polar Bears

Like true arctic adventurers, we’re tossing out our itinerary, choosing instead to let our search for polar bears and other wildlife determine our route and shore landings. Your foray into modern-day exploration will bring you to the Arctic of your dreams, immersed as you’ll be in all the natural wonders of the land of the midnight sun. Cruising along the coast, ice edge and inner fiords of Spitsbergen, one of most prolific destinations for viewing arctic wildlife, you’ll be rewarded with the opportunity to photograph the iconic polar bear in its natural habitat. Glacier-topped mountains, massive glacier fronts and deep-walled fjords soar majestically out of the icy sea, providing breathtaking backdrops for vast swaths of untouched tundra. Talk about picture perfect! Exploring this awe- inspiring area of the Svalbard archipelago never ceases to impress with its raw beauty, and you’ll experience it firsthand on this once-in-a-lifetime journey.

02 June, 2018 to 14 June, 2018

Prices quoted here are often dependent on currency fluctuations. Please check with (01432 507450 or info@small-cruise-ships.com) for the very latest price, which may well be cheaper than the one advertised here.

Triple£ 6300 GBP pp

A Triple Cabin has two lower berths and one upper berth, private facilities, and a porthole with exterior views.
view cabin photo

Lower Deck Twin£ 7800 GBP pp

A Lower Deck Twin cabin has two lower berths, private facilities, and a porthole with exterior views.
view cabin photo

Main Deck Twin Window£ 8600 GBP pp

A Main Deck Twin Window cabin has two lower berths, private facilities, and two windows with exterior views.
view cabin photo

Main Deck Twin Porthole£ 8600 GBP pp

A Main Deck Twin Porthole cabin has two lower berths, private facilities, and a porthole with exterior views.
view cabin photo

There will be 6 new, deluxe cabins built forward on Captain’s deck. Averaging 182 sq. ft., a Deluxe Cabin has two lower berths, private facilities, and windows with exterior views.
view cabin photo

Suite£ 12600 GBP pp

A Suite has two lower berths, windows with exterior views, private facilities. Cabin 403 has a bathtub other Suites have showers.
view cabin photo

Owner's Suite£ 13900 GBP pp

Approximately 289 sq. ft. in size (27 sq. m), these cabins all feature a private sitting room. One features a large panoramic window facing aft, and the other two suites face port and starboard.
view cabin photo

Spitsbergen Photography: In Search of Polar Bears itinerary:

show reverse itinerary

Day 1 — Embarkation Day in Longyearbyen, Norway

Your arctic adventure starts in Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen’s largest settlement and one of the northernmost communities on the planet. Have your camera handy as you embark on your journey—picturesque peaks surround this town in the bay of Svalbard’s second-longest fjord.

Day 2 to 12 — Exploring Spitsbergen

Spitsbergen has an unspoiled beauty that’s just begging to be discovered. On this one-of-a-kind cruise, you’ll sail along the west coast of this magical island, exploring the coastal fjords and smaller, outlying islands. Each day will be a surprise, treating you to spectacular new sightings and experiences.
Every expedition is unique, depending on the weather and ice conditions, but we do hope to visit a few of our favorite landing sites, to be chosen as much for their optimal wildlife-viewing opportunities as for their stunning scenery, historical significance and hiking activities. With no itinerary (unusual amongst polar cruises), our main goal will be to sail in a constant search for polar bears on the prowl. This means we may not move the ship every day as we do in regular voyages, if we find abundant wildlife in one place. Like true explorers, we’ll let the wildlife and pack ice—not a set schedule—guide our route! Viewing the ice bears is almost guaranteed in a region where they outnumber the people. Our small expedition ship allows us to navigate shallower waters and tighter spaces, so we expect to explore the more hard-to- reach areas the bears may favor.
Presentations by on-board experts will prepare you for the adventures that await, and with continuous daylight during this time of year, photo ops abound. You’ll have ample time to linger and photograph any bears we find hunting on the ice edge, but they’re not the only wildlife we hope to encounter. The food-rich waters attract walrus, whales and seabirds, so you’ll want to keep your binoculars nearby while cruising. Arctic fox and the indigenous Svalbard reindeer may also be spotted on Zodiac excursions to shore.
A haven for present-day explorers, Spitsbergen and the surrounding area offer unforgettable polar experiences that will keep you and your camera active all expedition long. Although 60 percent of the landscape is covered in glaciers and much of the terrain is mountainous, Spitsbergen (which means “pointed mountains”) surprises with stretches of colorful tundra, bursting with wildflowers in summer. Optional hiking activities get you up close and personal with the abundant wildlife. At day’s end, you’ll have plenty of prized photographs and exciting stories to share with your shipmates.

Day 13 — Depart Longyearbyen

Returning to where your adventure began, Longyearbyen, you’ll have time to bid a fond farewell to your newfound friends before disembarking. From here, we’ll transfer you to the airport for your flight home.

Please Note:

Embracing the unexpected is part of the legacy—and excitement—of expedition travel. When traveling in extremely remote regions, your expedition staff must allow the sea, the ice and the weather to guide route and itinerary details. This itinerary is a tentative outline of what you’ll experience on this voyage; please be aware that no specific itinerary can be guaranteed.

Spitsbergen Photography: In Search of Polar Bears reverse itinerary:

show main itinerary

Please Note: *

Embracing the unexpected is part of the legacy—and excitement—of expedition travel. When traveling in extremely remote regions, your expedition staff must allow the sea, the ice and the weather to guide route and itinerary details. This itinerary is a tentative outline of what you’ll experience on this voyage; please be aware that no specific itinerary can be guaranteed.

Day 13 — Depart Longyearbyen *

Returning to where your adventure began, Longyearbyen, you’ll have time to bid a fond farewell to your newfound friends before disembarking. From here, we’ll transfer you to the airport for your flight home.

Day 2 to 12 — Exploring Spitsbergen *

Spitsbergen has an unspoiled beauty that’s just begging to be discovered. On this one-of-a-kind cruise, you’ll sail along the west coast of this magical island, exploring the coastal fjords and smaller, outlying islands. Each day will be a surprise, treating you to spectacular new sightings and experiences.
Every expedition is unique, depending on the weather and ice conditions, but we do hope to visit a few of our favorite landing sites, to be chosen as much for their optimal wildlife-viewing opportunities as for their stunning scenery, historical significance and hiking activities. With no itinerary (unusual amongst polar cruises), our main goal will be to sail in a constant search for polar bears on the prowl. This means we may not move the ship every day as we do in regular voyages, if we find abundant wildlife in one place. Like true explorers, we’ll let the wildlife and pack ice—not a set schedule—guide our route! Viewing the ice bears is almost guaranteed in a region where they outnumber the people. Our small expedition ship allows us to navigate shallower waters and tighter spaces, so we expect to explore the more hard-to- reach areas the bears may favor.
Presentations by on-board experts will prepare you for the adventures that await, and with continuous daylight during this time of year, photo ops abound. You’ll have ample time to linger and photograph any bears we find hunting on the ice edge, but they’re not the only wildlife we hope to encounter. The food-rich waters attract walrus, whales and seabirds, so you’ll want to keep your binoculars nearby while cruising. Arctic fox and the indigenous Svalbard reindeer may also be spotted on Zodiac excursions to shore.
A haven for present-day explorers, Spitsbergen and the surrounding area offer unforgettable polar experiences that will keep you and your camera active all expedition long. Although 60 percent of the landscape is covered in glaciers and much of the terrain is mountainous, Spitsbergen (which means “pointed mountains”) surprises with stretches of colorful tundra, bursting with wildflowers in summer. Optional hiking activities get you up close and personal with the abundant wildlife. At day’s end, you’ll have plenty of prized photographs and exciting stories to share with your shipmates.

Day 1 — Embarkation Day in Longyearbyen, Norway *

Your arctic adventure starts in Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen’s largest settlement and one of the northernmost communities on the planet. Have your camera handy as you embark on your journey—picturesque peaks surround this town in the bay of Svalbard’s second-longest fjord.

* = Indicative

Sea Adventurer

Vessel Type: Comfortable Expedition

Length: 90 metres

Passenger Capacity: 118

Built / refurbished: 1975 / 1998

The 118-passenger Sea Adventurer, (formerly the Clipper Adventurer) is among the very few vessels in the world specifically constructed for expedition voyages to the remote polar regions. Her ice-strengthened hull permits her to glide easily and safely through ice-strewn waters that are not accessible to conventional cruise vessels.

She has advanced communications and navigation equipment, and newly installed, state-of-the-art Sperry Gyrofin stabilizers. In 1998 the Adventurer had a $13 million conversion done in Scandinavia. She is a handsome expedition vessel, done in the style of great ocean liners when ships were ships. With lots of varnished wood, brass, and wooden decks, the ship has all new outside cabins, with lower beds and private facilities.

There is a Main Lounge, bar, Clipper Club, library/card room, gymnasium and gift shop. A multi-national staff serves American and Continental cuisine. The ship has a fleet of 10 Zodiacs and a special loading platform. An ice class rating of A-1 allows the Clipper Adventurer to go to places larger cruise ships can only dream of, and she does it in comfort and style unsurpassed by other vessels her size.

Cabins: All cabins have a window with outside view. Each has private facilities.

You may be interested in...

Spitsbergen is the largest island of the Svalbard archipelago, and on this voyage we’ll attempt a circumnavigation of the island. Lying entirely within the Arctic Circle, Spitsbergen is rugged, wild, ......click here to read more.

This voyage provides the opportunity to get a taste of everything the Arctic has to offer, from polar bears and walrus to spectacular scenery. You’ll be treated to daily presentations ......click here to read more.

Antarctica has been inspiring explorers for centuries. And this expedition offers you the chance to discover why, with an unforgettable journey through the spectacular wilderness of the South Shetland Islands ......click here to read more.